


The P Word

by second_hand_heaven



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Character, Canon Compliant, Coda, Coming Out, Dean Pelton deserves better writing, Gen, Hugs, Jeff is bi, M/M, One Shot, Pansexual Character, S6E4, The Dean is Pan, can be read as pre-slash if you like, hence the tag, no one can stop me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26660581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/second_hand_heaven/pseuds/second_hand_heaven
Summary: Set during S6E4, a missing scene between Jeff and the Dean where the Dean isn’t written as a one-dimensional slightly-lecherous ambiguously-queer character. He and Jeff have a heart to heart about the Dean's dilemma, and Jeff reveals something he hasn't shared with the study group.
Relationships: Dean Craig Pelton & Jeff Winger, Dean Craig Pelton/Jeff Winger
Comments: 4
Kudos: 74





	The P Word

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Community fic, since this idea would not leave me alone. I'm not 100% happy with it but it was time to let it be free from my wips folder. Ta da?
> 
> Like the title suggests, I have a headcanon that the Dean is pansexual, and although this fic doesn’t really talk about it, that he isn’t cis. As per canon, I’m still using he/him pronouns. 
> 
> Also, Jeff being bi is also just a headcanon but you know I’m right, right?
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this lil fic!  
> -Nova xx

After they hug it out, Frankie heads off to problem-solve whatever Greendalian dilemma has reared its ugly head in the time it took to talk to the Dean about the school board’s offer. Jeff had his chance to leave with her, but something weirdly sentiment keeps him lounging on the Dean’s couch. If he didn’t know better, he’d call it loyalty. 

“You know,” he says, “we could always sue them, if you’d like.”

“What? Sue them?”

“I mean, I’m not a real lawyer, but as a law professor, we could put together a pretty solid case.”

The Dean frowns at him, brow furrowed sharply. “And why would I sue the school board?”

Isn’t it obvious? Jeff gestures to the Dean, to the whole room with an open hand. “All of this. This can’t be okay.” No, it  _ isn’t  _ okay, he knows that for certain, but from a legal standpoint, surely there must be something against this. 

“Jeffrey, need I remind you they pay both my salary and yours?”

“They offered you the job on the school board because they look bad and need you to look better. Right now, their focus should be on pleasing you.” Jeff bites his tongue and waits for the lewd comment from the Dean that never comes. “They can’t make you change who you are, or tone it down or anything. It’s as bad as if they were to try and make you pretend to be straight, and that’s not okay, right?”

“Right!” the Dean says, all conviction that arrives and disappears with equal speed. “Right?”

“Dean-”

“But I’m not straight. And I’m not gay. I’m pan, and they don’t get it at all. But being gay isn’t so bad, is it? I’m assuming. And it’s not as bad as if I were straight pretending to be gay, because that’s a big no no and-”

“Dean!”

“Right, sorry Jeffrey.”

“What they’re asking you to do is not okay. Don’t work yourself in knots about it, just listen to me and help me fix this for you.”

“I want to be on the school board, Jeffrey. Think of the good work I can do from there.”

“Is it worth pretending to be something you’re not? Greendale has done okay without you on the Board so far.”

But the Dean just shakes his head. “We can’t sue them. Not over this.”

Jeff figured the Dean would say it, but it still disappoints him. He buries his head in his hands. “I don’t know how to fix this, Craig.” It’s not an admittance of defeat. It’s  _ not. _ But from Jeff, it’s probably the closest he’ll get. 

The Dean laughs, a little wet, and says, “it’s alright. It’s my fault anyway.”

Jeff twists to face him. “How is any of this your fault?”

“I’m just saying,” the Dean says, wringing his hands, “this would be simpler if I was gay.”

Anger burns hot in Jeff's chest. “That’s because those overgrown frat guys from the school board are assholes. Because for them, yeah maybe things might be easier if we were gay, or better yet straight, but we’re not. So if you want to go ahead and be what they want you to be, go ahead. I can’t stop you. But you, you being authentic to yourself and your school, to your students? That’s important.”

The Dean looks up at him with wide eyes. “We?” he asks. 

“What?” Jeff freezes.

“You said we.”

Fuck. He could play it off as a slip of the tongue, poor phrasing, which yeah it kinda was, but honestly, Jeff’s sick of it. Sick of denying. He won’t do that to the Dean now, not after everything they’ve just said. “Yeah.” Jeff rubs a hand across the back of his neck. “I’m bi. It’s uh, it’s a recent thing, figuring that out.”

The Dean purses his lips and Jeff waits for the inevitable squeal, high pitch and way over the top. But no, the Dean swallows down whatever excitement he has bubbling away at the thought of a bi Jeff and asks instead, “does the study group know?”

No is the short answer. The long answer, a more accurate one, isn’t something Jeff wants to think about right now. So he settles on saying, “I haven’t said anything. Doesn’t matter. But I figure you showed me yours, I’ll show you mine, right?”

The Dean quirks a brow at that, but doesn’t mention it. 

The silence from the Dean draws him on, a righteousness returning to Jeff’s chest. “I just can't believe those guys. They took the Pride parade and made it for straight people. And when that looked bad, they turned to you to fix it for them.”

“You were going to go, weren’t you?” 

Jeff smiles at that, a little bit rueful, a little bit proud. “I had it all planned out. Annie would bring it up at the Save Greendale Committee, I’d say I wouldn’t be going, Britta would accuse me of being homophobic and say she’d be there as an ally, and I’d begrudgingly agree to join the group in attendance.” So predictable. But then again, Jeff didn’t factor in the school board cancelling his first Pride. Man, he can’t believe he’s actually pissed about that. “So what are you going to do?”

“I think I’ll sleep on it. Having a member of the Save Greendale Committee on the board might come in handy after all.” 

Jeff bites back a sigh. “Whatever you choose, you’ll still be our Dean, Dean.”

A heartfelt smile and two wiry arms wrap around him. Jeff lets him, maybe a little reluctantly, but lets him nonetheless. He’s getting used to the hugs, especially since the wandering hands have been wandering less and less. Abed might call it character development in their sixth season, or maybe an adequate writer, but Jeff has little faith in that. He has faith in the Dean, though, but he’d be hard-pressed to admit that to anyone.

“And if you do want to sue them,” Jeff says for good measure as he pulls back, “you know who to call.” He tosses a cocky grin to the tearstained Dean, who laughs and sends him back a genuine, friendly smile. 

_ FIN _

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, comments and kudos are welcome. Feel free to hit me up at my tumblr second-hand-heaven if you want a chat! 
> 
> -Nova xx


End file.
